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This verdant and green province, which forms the east coast of South Africa from Port Edward northwards to the Mozambique boundary, is aptly called South Africa’s garden province. It is a province with a subtropical coastline, sweeping savannah in the east and the magnificent Drakensberg mountain range in the west. The warm Indian Ocean washing its beaches makes it one of the country’s most popular holiday destinations.
The visitor to KwaZulu-Natal can either disembark at Durban International Airport or the Durban harbor or make use of the extensive national road network. Durban is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the world. It boasts the busiest harbor in South Africa which is also one of the 10 largest in the world.
KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy specifically provided for in the Constitution. Ulundi is the traditional capital of the Zulu monarchy. The capital of the province is Pietermaritzburg. Other important towns include Richards Bay, an important coal export harbor, and many coastal holiday resorts, such as Port Shepstone, Umhlanga Rocks, and Margate. In the interior, Eshowe is the center of the sugar cane and forestry industries; Newcastle of steel production and coalmining; Estcourt of meat processing, and Ladysmith and Richmond of mixed agriculture. The subtropical coastline of KwaZulu-Natal has some of South Africa’s best-protected indigenous coastal forests, for example, at Dukuduku and Kosi Bay. It is also along this coast that the magnificent St. Lucia Estuary and Kosi Bay lakes are located. Separating KwaZulu-Natal from the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho, the Drakensberg runs 200 km. along the western boundary of the province. The northern part of the province, south of the Swaziland border, is typical African savannah providing a natural backdrop for its rich wildlife.
*GGP (gross
geographical product) = GDP of a region The People
KwaZulu-Natal has the largest population in the country with some 8,4 million people living on 92,100 km˛ of land. The principal language spoken is IsiZulu, followed by English and Afrikaans. Remnants of British colonialism, and Zulu, Indian and Afrikaans traditions make for an interesting cultural mix in the province. KwaZulu-Natal has a relatively poorly- skilled labor force. Almost 23% of adults in the province have received no schooling. The economy therefore experiences a shortage of skilled human resources. Among its assets, the province counts several universities, technikons and various other educational institutions. Agriculture and Industry KwaZulu-Natal does not have extensive mineral resources. However, coal is mined in the northern areas around Dundee, Glencoe and Vryheid, while heavy minerals are mined at Richards Bay. In recent times, the province has undergone rapid industrialization with its abundant water supply and labor resources. Manufacturing provides many job opportunities in this province.
The sugar-cane plantations along the Indian Ocean coastal belt form the mainstay of the economy and agriculture of the region. The coastal belt is also a large producer of subtropical fruit, while the farmers in the hinterland concentrate on vegetable, dairy and stock-farming. Another major source of income is forestry in the areas around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond and Harding. The coastal regions of this province are hot and humid summer-rainfall areas with a subtropical climate. The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands between the coastal strip and the southern Drakensberg Escarpment are drier with extremely cold conditions in winter and snow on the high-lying ground. In the north, the subtropical strip extends further around the Kingdom of Swaziland, to the edge of the Escarpment. There is a huge gap between the urban and rural per capita income of people in KwaZulu-Natal. The province currently employs less than half of the potential labor force in the formal economy, resulting in a high level of migration to Gauteng. |
